The Lights of Zetar (episode)
At planetoid Memory Alpha, an Enterprise crew member's body is taken over by mysterious energy life-forms. Summary The ''Enterprise'' has been assigned to ferry Lieutenant Mira Romaine to Memory Alpha, a planetoid that serves as central library of the Federation. Romaine's task is to transfer new equipment to the facility. During the voyage, Scotty and Mira spend a good deal of time together and become romantically involved. During the journey, the Enterprise detects a strange energy storm on a course to the planetoid. Spock concludes that, given the storm's speed, it cannot be a natural phenomenon. The Enterprise intercepts the storm which bypasses the shields and through hull. The exposure to the storm affects the nervous systems of the crew, and Lieutenant Romaine faints from the effect. The storm continues to head for Memory Alpha, and engulfs the planetoid. Beaming down to investigate the damage, the Enterprise crew discovers all the Memory Alpha staff have been killed, except for one woman who is lying on the floor unconscious, her skin is covered with a mysterious energy. She does not last long, suffering from a brain hemorrhage as the energy begins to drain from her. Returning to the ship, the crew discover that as a result of the storm, Romaine has been transformed. She now has a bizarre connection to the storm's energy, and is able to predict where it will next strike next. She senses the Enterprise will next feel the storm's effects. Despite evasive manuevers by the Enterprise, the storm enters the vessel. Once inside, the storm appears to the crew as a group of bright flashing multi-colored lights. The lights swarm on Mira and enter her body, and Doctor Leonard McCoy determines that there is no way to force the lights out without killing her. Checking through Romaine's personnel file, Spock discovers the Lieutenant has a high susceptibility to empathic transmissions, which makes her an ideal home for the lights. The lights reveal, speaking through Mira, that they are in fact non-corporeal energy beings from the dead planet, Zetar. They insist that they have the right to inhabit Romaine's body, but Montgomery Scott refuses. He places Mira in the ship's pressurization chamber and activates it. Once the Zetar are exposed to several gravities of weight they expire, having become accustomed to the vacuum of space. Lieutenant Romaine is now free from the alien influence and can return to Memory Alpha to help restore the library. Log Entries *''Captain’s log, stardate 5725.3. The Enterprise is en route to Memory Alpha. It is a planetoid set up by the Federation solely as a central library containing the total cultural history and scientific knowledge of all planetary Federation members. With us is specialist Lieutenant Mira Romaine. She is on board to supervise the transfer of all newly designed equipment... directly from the Enterprise to Memory Alpha. '' *''Captain’s log, supplemental, stardate 5725.6. The storm has cleared Memory Alpha. It is heading away at incredible speed. We have been unable to make contact with the planetoid. Its silence is ominous. We are beaming down to investigate. '' Memorable Quotes "Jim, you realize that the pressure needed to kill the Zetarians might kill the girl, too." : - McCoy "When a man of Scotty's years falls in love, the loneliness of his life is suddenly revealed. His heart once throbbed to the sound of the ship's engines; now, all he can see is the woman." : - from Kirk's log "Oh, Scotty -- I'd rather die than hurt you! I'd rather die!" "Here, now -- what's all this talk of dyin'? They've gotten the turn on us three out of the last four times... that's a better average than anyone deserves. It's our turn, now... so no more talk about dyin'." : - Romaine and Scott (mock surprise) "Well, this is an ''Enterprise first. Mr. Spock, Dr. McCoy and Engineer Scott are all in complete agreement -- can I stand the strain?" : - '''Kirk' Background Information * In the story outline ( ) Mira was Scotty's new engineering assistant and shared his fascination for machinery. Final draft script , filmed early November. * This was John Winston's only appearance during Star Trek's final season. * This is also the last time the Emergency Manual Monitor and Engineering sets will be used. Engineering will be seen briefly in "The Savage Curtain", but this will be stock footage. * Additionally, this is the final episode in which we will see a Tellarite and an Andorian in TOS. * Despite the zero-gravity environment created in the decompression chamber, Jan Shutan's hair is hanging down in that scene. * In a totally out-of-character moment, McCoy doesn't even blink when Spock asks if he is sure he put the correct data tape in the computer! * Some of the characters in this episode, for some reason, refer to Mira Romaine as "the girl." * Scotty's uniform sports a science chest badge instead of the usual engineering version. * Yes, the co-writer of this episode was indeed Shari Lewis of "Lambchop" fame. She was a huge fan of "Star Trek" and fulfilled a dream by co-writing this segment with her husband. She also wanted to play Mira Romaine, but was not cast. * The Memory Alpha monitor room is a reused set from "Whom Gods Destroy". * The third book in Wallace Moore's "Balzan of the Cat People" pulp SF series, 1975's "The Lights of Zetar," was apparently an homage to this episode. Links and References VHS edition available through Amazon under ISBN 6300988694. Main cast * William Shatner as Kirk * Leonard Nimoy as Spock * DeForest Kelley as McCoy * James Doohan as Scott * George Takei as Sulu * Nichelle Nichols as Uhura * Walter Koenig as Chekov * Majel Barrett as Chapel Guest Stars * Jan Shutan as Lt. Mira Romaine * John Winston as Lt. Kyle * Libby Erwin as Memory Alpha Technician * William Blackburn as Hadley (uncredited) * Frank da Vinci as Brent (uncredited) * Roger Holloway as Roger Lemli (uncredited) References Andorian; brain circuitry pattern; decompression chamber; general quarters; hyperencephalogram; Martian colonies; Martian Colony 3; Memory Alpha; Romaine, Jacques; Romaine, Lydia; Steinman analysis; Zetar; Zetarians External Links * Lights of Zetar, The de:Strahlen greifen an es:The Lights of Zetar nl:The Lights of Zetar